LUXEMBOURG - the Green Heart of Europe - was recently the scene of
the first attempt for some years to co-ordinate the activities of vegetarian
societies on this side of the Atlantic. As the new secretary for the
European Region of the International Vegetarian Union, I wrote to many
of the addresses listed in the useful VSUK Handbook, and had enough
repsonse to justify holding a week-end conference on neutral ground
at the end of March. (Luxembourg has no vegetarian society, but we were
happy to meet four residents who once tried to form one!).

The countries represented were Britain (in the person of VSUK Council
member Jim Peet), Denmark, France, W.Germany, Ireland, Italy and the
Netherlands, and each person outlined the work being done for vegetarianism
not only by his own society but also by other groups in his country.
In addition, the new IVU General Secretary, Maxwell G. Lee, contributed
a great deal to the success of the conference, outlined his plans for
increasing the activities of the Union and suggested how we might help
further them.

A great deal of enthusiasm for co-operation was shown, and a decision
to meet again in a year's time seemed inevitable; besides inviting to
this meeting a representative from every European Society already affiliated
to IVU, we are hoping that each country with no such society will nevertheless
be represented by an observer. Meanwhile a questionnaire will be sent
to all societies (whether members of IV U or not) in order to collect
as much useful information as possible; the results will be published
in a quarterly bulletin, which will also include news of preparations
for the 26th World Vegetarian Congress, to be held in Germany in 1982,
and any other important news which subscribing societies would like
to send me. (Or indeed anyone else; I can be contacted at St.Columbia's
College, Dublin 16, Ireland.)

In addition we shall approach both the EEC and the Council of Europe
in the hope of establishing an official relationship with (and thus
bring pressure to bear on) these two bodies; and in 1981 we may hold
a small European Congress, perhaps in association with a national vegetarian
congress. On this and all other matters I shall welcome suggestions
from all European vegetarians!